Triangular inflatable evacuation slide

Abstract

An inflatable evacuation slide, substantially triangular in cross-section, includes a base and lateral sides. The sides are formed from interlocking components, so that the slide is straight, when deployed. The inflatable evacuation slide may be used, for example, as a marine evacuation slide.

1. An inflatable evacuation slide, comprising:
 a base; and, 
 lateral sides extending from said base and comprised of side frame members for maintaining said inflatable evacuation slide substantially straight when said inflatable evacuation slide is in a deployed position, said inflatable evacuation slide being substantially triangular in cross-section, wherein said lateral sides each include a series of alternately-oriented upright and inverted triangular frame members extending in a continuous pattern, and wherein a given triangular side frame member for supporting a part of a series of said triangular frame members includes a smaller triangular brace structure within said given triangular side frame member. 
 
     
     
       2. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 1 , wherein angles of said triangular side frame members are determined such that, when joined together, an upwardly directed bend in said inflatable evacuation slide is formed, which straightens under weight of said inflatable evacuation slide when not under load, prior to placement into the deployed position. 
     
     
       3. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 1 , wherein said side frame members of said lateral sides have a shape so that said side frame members prevent said inflatable evacuation slide from sagging, when inflated. 
     
     
       4. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 1 , wherein said upright and inverted substantially triangular frames are hexagonal structures. 
     
     
       5. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 4 , wherein said hexagonal structures each comprise three linear beams connected at three corners of the substantially triangular frames with corner struts, said linear beams being longer in length than lengths of said corner struts. 
     
     
       6. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 5 , wherein said linear beams of each said substantially triangular frame are set at an angle relative to one another, said linear beams being further set at an angle of 60° to adjacent said corner struts. 
     
     
       7. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 5 , wherein an upper said linear beam of one of said inverted substantially triangular frames is substantially horizontal and substantially coaxial with an upper said corner strut of an adjacent one of said substantially triangular frames. 
     
     
       8. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 7 , wherein a lower said linear beam of one of said substantially triangular frames is substantially horizontal and substantially coaxial with a lower said corner strut of an adjacent one of said inverted substantially triangular frames. 
     
     
       9. The inflatable evacuation slide according to  claim 1 , wherein said smaller triangular bracing structure is within an end triangular frame member of said triangular frame members in the series of said triangular side frame members.